‘Can I ask,’ I begin gently, ‘who you’re talking about? And to be clear, if it’s yourself, that’s not a deal breaker to me at all.’
‘I like hearing that from you, but it’s not me. My little brother is disabled, quite complex stuff, and needs a lot of equipment around the house, and a powerchair to get out and about.’
I can just imagine the bills for servicing that every year, the new batteries, the spare parts, never mind the electricity to charge it. Most people assume that all that is covered by the council or the NHS, because itshouldbe. I managed to buy Mum a comfortable manual chair to take her out in occasionally, and people were horrified by how much it cost to get a decent one that wouldn’t make her arse go numb in five minutes.
We’re still a few brand deals off a powered one, but I’ll get it for her. By hell or high water.
‘If I can work hard, I can make sure Connor never wants for anything. Then we can stop waiting for someone else to say yes, alright, he does need this or that, after three feet of paperwork. The game has meant I’m away from him a lot, but the money I’ve sent home has helped refit the house so it is accessible for him. It’s a decision I’d make every time, even though I miss him and my parents when I’m playing.’
‘You get it,’ I say quietly.
If I was the type of woman who could fall in love with a man, I think this would be the moment. But I’ve found a kindred spirit, an ally, hopefully a friend.
‘Warren?’
‘Yeah, Dolly?’
‘I hope this isn’t indelicate to say, after everything we’ve just talked about, but I really like you. And I think we’re on the same page. I think you might be the man I’ve been looking for.’
‘I feel that way too, Dolly. See you again?’
The sound rings out that says our date is over, and for the first time I really don’t want to leave this room, even though my back aches, and my pelvis is twinging and tender. I do really want to keep talking to him.
‘It’s a date,’ I say with a big smile.
Even though this isn’t a romantic connection, I feel a flutter of something rush through me. I think it’s a kind of love, the sensation of how powerfully each of us feels about our people back home. The understanding of how much we love our family. We can share that, we can build a strong relationship on those foundations.
There’s a few seconds before the microphones cut out.
‘I can’t wait to hear you again,’ he says.
We both laugh and it feels good. ‘Warren, I think you and I are going to be the couple to beat.’
‘Is it?’ he says with a deep laugh. ‘You know what, Dolly, I think you’re right.’
Chapter SixDolly
Warren Baddoo, 27, London
Family is what drives me. And that can be family in a family-unit kind of sense, or friend-family, or community. A community is just a bigger kind of family. Like, when I look out for my neighbours, that’s family too. Life’s too short to not open your heart to other people. Yeah, I guess the team is a family too – were you trying to get me to say that? Haha, you’re sneaky. Hang on, let me try it again so you can edit it in.[Clears throat]You know, a basketball team is kind of like a family too. How was that?
The walk back to the women’s quarters smarts. There’s no time for me to hobble, so I brisk-walk even though it feels like the lower parts of my belly are burning up.
I’m the only one in the corridor so my suspicions that they kept me and Warren talking seem to be right.
The fatigue hits me like a train. I feel drunk on it; no need for all the alcohol they have on offer.
It feels like past midnight. I knew it would be long hours, but not having a clock to check is very strange. No wonder that guy fromLove Islandused the sun loungers as a quasi-sundial. Too bad there’s no sunlight in here, or I could fashion something with all the bronze cups.
Still, despite the lateness, pretty much all the women are in the living room. They cheer as I walk in, which is a nice boost. There’s quite a lot of booze littered around, in stark contrast to last night. I guess now we’re making decisions and claiming men, they want everyone a little looser. They must have restocked the place while we were on our dates, because the stuff is everywhere. If it’s not a fridge bursting with fizz and pink wine, it’s a shelf groaning with spirits.
Bridget must have had a good last date, because she’s dancing around filling glasses, with a more intense spring in her step than usual. Good for her. Someone has to find actual love on this show. Hopefully it’s not some of the walking red flags I met this morning.
‘Come join us, babe,’ Bridget calls, waggling the bottle like a maraca so bubbles escape out the top.
It’s tempting, but what I really need is some meds, and a lie down. Ewa, the production assistant from earlier, comes to collect my mic pack. I hope she gets to clock off at some point soon too.
‘I’m going to do my ablutions, darlings,’ I say with a realAb Fabaccent, and they are all just sufficiently drunk to find that hilarious enough to let me leave without protest.
